Slicin' and Dicin'

[Dustin07]

More muscular you get, the better you look at higher body fat percentages. I get a lot of compliments on being jacked despite being 25% bodyfat or whatever. I’m not saying that’s healthy, or I wouldn’t look better at 15%, but there’s just enough size overall that it makes my proportions better than the number would otherwise indicate. This is why they say you usually need to lose more weight than you think to get quite lean.

yeah I'm certain the rule of "10 more lbs than you think" applies to me. But bulking definitely has its benefits. I might look shredded with my shirt off but I can say I had a lot of comment and compliments at 205lbs with a hoodie on when people (especially the old ladies haha) could see my triceps through my sleeves lol. I'll never for get the one older gal who reaches over and grabs my arm and goes oh my what is this?! Gotta love the golden years, they got no shame, no censor, and I'm here for it

 

[Dustin07]

Fasted cardio / TRF day

Stairs - 15min
To level 12
Incline LISS - 25min
To level 14 briefly

Not sure if I'll fit more in tonight or not but got my 40min done fasted, saving calories for dinner plans with my boy tonight.

 

[Segansational]

Another thing I have to remind my wife frequently, and this probably a big benefit to being a guy in general, is that we are at vanity lbs here. My renpho says I'm at 16.2% bodyfat right now. Maybe I am, I take it with a grain of salt, and maybe my abs are simply bigger and more muscular now so they show through at a higher bodyfat, but even my unfriendly mirror is showing more outline and definition and the gym mirrors in the locker room when I'm standing 20ft away (LOL) make my abs look crackin'. Whether I'm at 12% or 14% or 18%, I know i'm at a good place in terms of overall health / general population.

So I guess my point is, and what I keep telling my wife when she gets frustrated, is that carving down from here isn't just sluffing off easy fat from eating too much McDonalds, now we're getting into the nitty gritty where you have to be willing to go above and beyond. especially as middle aged desk jockeys.

Good reminder for me given my current BF% and feels.

yeah I'm certain the rule of "10 more lbs than you think" applies to me. But bulking definitely has its benefits. I might look shredded with my shirt off but I can say I had a lot of comment and compliments at 205lbs with a hoodie on when people (especially the old ladies haha) could see my triceps through my sleeves lol. I'll never for get the one older gal who reaches over and grabs my arm and goes oh my what is this?! Gotta love the golden years, they got no shame, no censor, and I'm here for it

Hey man, take it where you can get it!

 

[Dustin07]

Hey man, take it where you can get it!

amen!

 

[Dustin07]

my boy wanted pizza last night so we hit this place that is deep from my childhood nostalgia. I killed hours playing TMNT there, multiple pre-teen birthday parties, and even puked pizza all over the place when I won an all you can eat pizza party in the 4th grade with the principal for having perfect attendance at school.

so anyways he had pizza and I had the "spicey" chicken ceasar salad to break my TRF, as well as some breadsticks, which were awesome. and today I'm at vacation weight haha about 194 but feeling good and pretty lean.

so I'm curious about my current epidandro use. I haven't tracked what day I started because it's so minor and subtle I wasn't worried about abusing it and started at 300mg, then this past week bumped up to 600mg which is still a low dose of a mild compound keeping in mind I was running it at like a million mg (actually like 1100-1300) a year+ ago. But I've been all natty ever since and I'm starting to wonder if I'm getting those newbie epi gains.

I did drop the DHEA because a.) I didn't think i needed it and b.) I figured I'd slough off some water weight, which maybe I did.

But on top of holding weight despite being tight on nutrition and getting my cardio in, my wife is looking like a freaking firecracker of a minx lately. Those yoga pants are driving me nuts. I wonder if the epi is kicking libido into high gear. I can't figure out what else it could be.

Been using RLT religously for 2 months
On phosphatidic acid xt
epiandro 600mg (ish. today I did 300mg oral, 150mg TD)
M-Test

and a little preWO/Creatine on lifting days (but not on fasting cardio days).

I've been waking up early and refreshed. Last night even felt high energy so I stayed up a little later than usual. woke up naturally the past two days at 4am feeling great, today I decided to go with it and got up before my alarm.

So I'm not sure whats up. dead of winter, burning the candle at both ends, constant cardio, caloric deficits, I should feel like ****. instead, I'm getting apparently high quality sleep in fewer hours, feeling good in the gym and the libido is damn near dangerous.

 

[Dustin07]

I know there are doubters and everyone knows I love a good placebo, but I'm a believer in the RLT

 

[Dustin07]

 

[Dustin07]

Ok, yeah zero doubt I'm responding well to the epiandro.

Bench
10 x 95
3 x 135, 175, 205

EMOTM
5 x 225
5 rounds

Then
5 x 5 x 225
Paused last rep to make it my bitch.

Wide grip / suicide
30 x 135

Low incline DB flies
15 x 30
10 x 40
12 x 50
+15 x 35 dropset

Incline DB
15 x 60
14 x 70
10 x 70
(Runners high)

H/S decline
2 x 10 x 180
25 x 90 - wide grip / sick pump

Cardio
Stairs - 10 min
Incline LISS - 20 min
Bike - 10 min
40 min total



Notes
Weird schedule day so jammed cardio into chest day. Had this wild idea to see if I could EMOTM 5 x 225 for 10 rounds. I made 5 no problem but decided that was where I needed to pull it so took more than 30 seconds rest on the other sets.

But hey 10 x 5 x 225 seems like a thing.

Last five sets were like E2MOTM, about two sets per song. Last set was maybe a hair easier than first set. Hardest part was keeping count

The spirit was willing today but the flesh is bruised and spongey. By the time I got to declines I was high on energy but low on strength. Weird juxtaposition!! Luckily this chick with booty pants losing the war against her crack decided to do bulgarians directly in front of me so that found one more set.

#buildtheboobies


I dare you to blast this song and NOT go for it.

 

[Dustin07]

.

 

[Hyde]

That song from Rocky always gets me pumped up. Especially if I watch the video with the training montage, him & Apollo sprinting on the beach full throttle

 

[gphagan1]

Nice workout with a lot of volume…..you had to have a lot of energy for that, and Epiandro can definitely boost libido. A good hot yoga pants booty always gives me an extra rep or two as well.

 

[Segansational]

RLT = Red Light Therapy?

I don't know much about the evidence behind it, but I know I have thought about getting one of those true sunlight style lamps for seasonal depression.

I am also uncertain about whether the DHEA/pregnenolone combo I started is doing much for me, but giving it another bottle for 2 months to give enough time to test.

But with you using the epiandro, I doubt you'd really gain much more benefit from the DHEA other than maybe more estrogen benefits?

 

[Dustin07]

That song from Rocky always gets me pumped up. Especially if I watch the video with the training montage, him & Apollo sprinting on the beach full throttle

I turned it on sorta as a goof in the middle of my session and then my brain went into overdrive, it really grabbed me

I must have sent my boy 100 versions of the training montage during his wrestling season. It was awesome watching him before matches with his warmups on, earbuds in, sorta walking around in quiet focus with his music on. That was when I started really seeing him as a competitor taking it serious

RLT = Red Light Therapy?

I don't know much about the evidence behind it, but I know I have thought about getting one of those true sunlight style lamps for seasonal depression.

I am also uncertain about whether the DHEA/pregnenolone combo I started is doing much for me, but giving it another bottle for 2 months to give enough time to test.

But with you using the epiandro, I doubt you'd really gain much more benefit from the DHEA other than maybe more estrogen benefits?

its funny I see a lot of people say things like that (evidence/RLT) all the time. Usually, its people who either bought a really crappy one, or used it very infrequently and decided they don't work, or folks who never tried. I did a ton of research on the studies before I jumped in and I'm super happy with mine.

I have raised fish for like 20+ years and keep reef tanks so I've learned the value of lights. You can toss corals and whatnot into a tank and they'll just whither away without good lighting. So I started making connections to how artificial lighting can add life.

I have this very simple grow light (2 of them) in my chicken coop. My chickens used to stop laying in Oct for the winter, but this winter i was getting up to 10 eggs a day non stop:

My wife did some research and found something about the spectrum in these simple shop lights is good for seeding plants, so she has these setup now and her tomatoes are already 2" tall from seeds that she saved from her plants last year and only just planed 1.5 weeks ago:

and she has 2 sets of these growing her other "tomato" plants in the fermentation room. They grew all winter and budded:

Hubberman spends a lot of time coming back to lighting and discusses how we should see the first 30 minutes of sunrise without sunglasses on to set our rhythm and begin correct cortisol release, he says we should see the last 30 minutes going into sunset the same way because it's a totally different spectrum of light, and sets the tone for melatonin and sleeping.

You can always dig in deeper, I just enjoy the topic. what these posts here don't tell you is that while accutely focused RLT to a particular region (such as directly to the testes in men for testosterone and ED, and to the labia for women for increased flow/ sexual dysfunction) is though to provide a HIGHER impact, but hitting the RLT anywhere on your body (I use torso because its easy, I keep it on the counter) improves mitochondrial health and mobility and will still have positive effects on these other areas of the organism.

White light is still considered the king for Seasonal Effective Disorder, but I do not like white light when I first wake up, the RLT is a gentler morning experience, here is some of the science behind it:

 

[Dustin07]

I have thought about getting one of those true sunlight style lamps for seasonal depression.

this one has really good reviews and I've wondered about having both this and the RLT turned on at the same time in the morning...

Amazon.com

 

[Hyde]

You know I’ve heard so much mixed review on RLT I’ve not been sold on it, but I will say just the logic you presented of how light obviously impacts underwater life, plant growth, circadian rhythm, and mental health really does set an obvious precedent: light exposure does effect the body.

So it doesn’t seem crazy to at least try it. It probably is just crazy to expect miracles. Like people who say BPC doesn’t help healing any that are trying to fix a labrum that was torn 2 years ago. There has to be grounded expectations.

 

[dapack]

Tons of chest work

 

[Dustin07]

It probably is just crazy to expect miracles. Like people who say BPC doesn’t help healing any that are trying to fix a labrum that was torn 2 years ago. There has to be grounded expectations.

I agree and I'm also a big believer in the power of the mind. was talking to my wife last night about how many common ailments I see in men are always between those ages of 30-50yrs old (I fit in this category both of age and having experienced the common themes we see in sleep, anxiety, depression, etc)

There are pharma solutions for issues that I think are largely mental. Doesn't mean the pharma solutions don't work, but also makes me think that we need more balanced mental health to tackle modern society's very high paced life styles where we accomplish 3 tasks at a time on a regular basis and are "working" from the time our alarm goes off until we go to sleep, mentally.

I think if a person goes into a treatment believing it will heal them, it has a much stronger chance of working. Even if the science is very strong and person goes into a treatment not believing it will do anything, it can possibly fail to help.

Tons of chest work

That was the goal! since I'm still trying to cut 6-10 more lbs I'm trying to keep myself more hypertrophy / aesthetic focused even though its hard to not specifically strength train.

 

[Dustin07]

Stairs - 10 min

Lat pull downs
20 x 100, 145

Rear delt swings
20 x 22.5, 25

DB curls
15 x 32.5, 35

GHD back ext
20 x BW, +25

H/S high rows
20 x 90, 180

BB curls
2 x 20 x 60

Cybex T bar rows
20 x 45, 70

Bike - 10 min
Incline LISS - 20 min

Total cardio - 40min

Notes
Went a light across the board today, trying to touch on a lot, without impeding recovery because hoping to have a solid session with my boy on Sunday.

We usually just bench but we are talking about doing a full PL day so he can see what his theoretical total sits at so we will see.

 

[akboom87]

Stairs - 10 min

Lat pull downs
20 x 100, 145

Rear delt swings
20 x 22.5, 25

DB curls
15 x 32.5, 35

GHD back ext
20 x BW, +25

H/S high rows
20 x 90, 180

BB curls
2 x 20 x 60

Cybex T bar rows
20 x 45, 70

Bike - 10 min
Incline LISS - 20 min

Total cardio - 40min

Notes
Went a light across the board today, trying to touch on a lot, without impeding recovery because hoping to have a solid session with my boy on Sunday.

We usually just bench but we are talking about doing a full PL day so he can see what his theoretical total sits at so we will see.

Nice quick and simple session, sounds like a great bro session coming up with your boy!!!

 

[Dustin07]

Bro day

Bench
2 x 10 x 95
10 x 135
1 x 175, 205, 225, 245, 265
7 x 225
25 x 135

Cardio
Incline LISS - 20min

Thought that would be much heavier but the boy and I both felt trashed after yesterday's chores / farm work. Hauled another yard of chips to the wife's garden preWO this morning, which she promised to reward me for later, so I guess it's worth trading the ho hum lifting session for.

At this point though, I'm exhausted! Ready for a nap

 

[Dustin07]

Fasted cardio
Bike - 20 min
Incline LISS - 25
(To 10incline)

Weight 191

Which seems like I'm on target with my per month loss sitting around 5lbs. Started the new year around 202-203 but likely bloated so I'm down 8-12 depending on how you keep count.

I'm actually more excited just to be at the same weight on Monday as I was on Friday, means my weekends are getting a bit more dialed in

I did have a date night with the wife but stuck with the steak salad, dressing on the side no tots

 

[Dustin07]

when I woke up monday at a friday weight, I figured there was a woosh coming.
Got home at 188.4 last night, so switched to just TRF and broke fast with hard boiled eggs and a chicken/veggie stir fry my wife made (very clean). woke up this morning a titch bit lower at 188.2. Basically an 18 month low for me I think. (ish).

I've fasted once a week all year (all mondays except last week shifted to Weds because of travel). they have been 50/50 between 36hr fasts vs TRF. so far so good!

 

[Dustin07]

Cardio circuit
Stairs - 11 min
Incline LISS - 15 min
Sprint intervals - 15 min
To 8mph


Notes
Dragging my ass today, might be that weather change we got this week, heavy clouds and some rain. On the fence right now to as whether I take tonight off or hit a round 2

Usually I watch YouTube videos on aquaponics, greenhouses, butchering meat birds, making moonshine, etc but reels were on fire today. I went back and forth between dying laughing on the treadmill and being motivated to push a bit harder

Algo has me dialed

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

Idk it hit all just right so I went from exhausted to pounding out some sprints to test my knee and legs.

Two of the most carefully crafted pairs of yoga pants were on the treadmills 8ft in front of mine as I was running and I almost started laughing and tripping off the damn machine as I got this image of me chasing a carrot hung in front of me while I'm sprinting directly behind them

 

[Hyde]

If only you ran fast enough, you could bury your face between those sweet hips

 

[MrKleen73]

Sounds like you are making good progress on the cut, and that the RLT is working well for you. Always nice when something is working.

 

[Dustin07]

Sounds like you are making good progress on the cut, and that the RLT is working well for you. Always nice when something is working.

its a slow process, but every once in a while when I feel stalled I toss in that fast and it definitely helps light the progress based inspiration. it can be instant and short term gratification, but I'll take anything that tricks the brain into staying the course, lol.

 

[Dustin07]

Warm up
Stairs - 10 min

H/S plate loaded leg press
2 x 10 x 180
10 x 270, 360, 450
20 x 270

Hoist leg curls
20 x 100, 160
10 x 200

Hoist leg ext
2 x 20 x 145
+ 10 x 85 dropset (fried)

Abductor machine
2 x 20


Cardio
Incline treadmill - 25 min
7 incline / 2.6mph

Bike - 15 min

Total 50 min


Notes
Walked in beat to hell and I had AI in my ear saying to cut volume and/or intensity on the cut. I was all for it then I heard Rocky screaming in my other ear. I couldn't understand him, but I added a little weight and a set here and there just in case that's what he wanted.

I can see a close association with a knot in my hamstring to that back of the knee issue I have which in some ways seems like a good thing cause it makes me think my knee pain is originating in the hammy and not in the mechanical aspect of the knee.

What started as a rough day ended up pretty awesome.

 

[akboom87]

Warm up
Stairs - 10 min

H/S plate loaded leg press
2 x 10 x 180
10 x 270, 360, 450
20 x 270

Hoist leg curls
20 x 100, 160
10 x 200

Hoist leg ext
2 x 20 x 145
+ 10 x 85 dropset (fried)

Abductor machine
2 x 20


Cardio
Incline treadmill - 25 min
7 incline / 2.6mph

Bike - 15 min

Total 50 min


Notes
Walked in beat to hell and I had AI in my ear saying to cut volume and/or intensity on the cut. I was all for it then I heard Rocky screaming in my other ear. I couldn't understand him, but I added a little weight and a set here and there just in case that's what he wanted.

I can see a close association with a knot in my hamstring to that back of the knee issue I have which in some ways seems like a good thing cause it makes me think my knee pain is originating in the hammy and not in the mechanical aspect of the knee.

What started as a rough day ended up pretty awesome. View attachment 259061

Looks like it turned into a good one. Man really starting to hate AI and how fast it’s being adopted and pushed out.

 

[Dustin07]

Looks like it turned into a good one. Man really starting to hate AI and how fast it’s being adopted and pushed out.

I had hoped to grab some extra glute work but the gym was hoppin' so I took the extra cardio instead.

It's the craziest thing. Some days when you're all beat to hell, tired, barely able to walk in the gym, once you get there you forget it and start going for the blue ribbon. Motion creates motion!

 

[akboom87]

I had hoped to grab some extra glute work but the gym was hoppin' so I took the extra cardio instead.

It's the craziest thing. Some days when you're all beat to hell, tired, barely able to walk in the gym, once you get there you forget it and start going for the blue ribbon. Motion creates motion!

That happens a lot and I see it in various logs in here so it’s a real thing!

 

[Dustin07]

Lateral DB raises
2 x 15 x 25s

SS with DB curls
2 x 15 x 32.5

H/S incline
20 x 90
15 x 140

Incline bench
10 x 135
3 x 165, 185, 195
10 x 155
12 x 135

Dips
10, 10, 15

H/S declines
20 x 140
10 x 180
9 x 230
30 x 90


Notes
I need a dedicated arm day! I'll see how the week unfolds. Maybe I'll do light bench work Sunday and finish with 7 million sets or so of biceps if the wife goes.

Last nights Italian wedding soup mom made was more like pasta with more pasta than broth but I'm for it. Deficit has been sleep and I figured the carbs would be good but I can still feel that deficit today. Decent pump but quick to fatigue.

Probably gonna skip a round 2 cardio session tonight and smash it tomorrow instead.

My boy sent me a video of him making a 435 deadlift attempt he got over the knees today before grip failed. I'm glad he sent it cause I see form issues I want fixed asap but I gotta get a 16yr old to listen to his dad/coach and that's harder than fixing a fucked up deadlift

 

[Hyde]

Probably only thing harder than getting a youngin to accept gym advice is your own wife!

 

[gphagan1]

Lateral DB raises
2 x 15 x 25s

SS with DB curls
2 x 15 x 32.5

H/S incline
20 x 90
15 x 140

Incline bench
10 x 135
3 x 165, 185, 195
10 x 155
12 x 135

Dips
10, 10, 15

H/S declines
20 x 140
10 x 180
9 x 230
30 x 90


Notes
I need a dedicated arm day! I'll see how the week unfolds. Maybe I'll do light bench work Sunday and finish with 7 million sets or so of biceps if the wife goes.

Last nights Italian wedding soup mom made was more like pasta with more pasta than broth but I'm for it. Deficit has been sleep and I figured the carbs would be good but I can still feel that deficit today. Decent pump but quick to fatigue.

Probably gonna skip a round 2 cardio session tonight and smash it tomorrow instead.

My boy sent me a video of him making a 435 deadlift attempt he got over the knees today before grip failed. I'm glad he sent it cause I see form issues I want fixed asap but I gotta get a 16yr old to listen to his dad/coach and that's harder than fixing a fucked up deadlift

That’s an impressive weight for him to be attempting so young…to get him to listen, you’ll just have to show him how it’s done, and ask him if he wants advice now.

 

[Dustin07]

Probably only thing harder than getting a youngin to accept gym advice is your own wife!

So true. back around 2017 ish before we got married she had me "train" her to get her ready for a Hawaii trip. it worked well, she trimmed up as much as she wanted and was very happy with the results. for the 9 years that followed she has done everything except anything I've suggested

She is making progress again now but there has been a bit of wheel spinning along the way lol.

That’s an impressive weight for him to be attempting so young…to get him to listen, you’ll just have to show him how it’s done, and ask him if he wants advice now.

man before bed last night I thought about doing a 435 pull today since I was going to do back anyways. set up my nutrition plan with some extra carb loading and figured even in my current state it would be hard but doable and good for him to see. I might still go for it but...

1:30am > fish tank low water alarm goes off. no big deal, just the water had evaporated a bit too low so I fixed that. then I see eyes prancing in the backyard, so I grab the German Sheperd and we go chase deer out the yard (I have to build yet another fence soon). by now i've missed my 4 minute take-a-leak-in-the-dark-to-not-fully-wake-up window, so I grabbed a melatonin and tried uselessly to get back to sleep. last number I saw on the clock was 2:30am, yikes. alarm goes off at 4:30. I hit snooze, accidentally hit off instead. I said well thats OK, I'll just enjoy a later friday, get up at 5 with my wifes alarm. didn't hear her alarm go off, she taps me and says its 5:15. crap. lol. so for a Friday, its' feeling like a monday!

 

[gphagan1]

You know I forgot about your knee when I suggested doing a 435 pull to show your boy. Yeah, that might be too much of a strain considering you’re still in active recovery.
It is wild how your morning can get off, whether not sleeping good or getting up late, and that can throw the first half of your day in disarray. It’s pretty cool though, because we have the gym, and I can be having a truly crappy day, but when I enter the gym that’s one of my happy places and all is right with the day again. It actually helps me not to take work home with me as well.

 

[Dustin07]

You know I forgot about your knee when I suggested doing a 435 pull to show your boy. Yeah, that might be too much of a strain considering you’re still in active recovery.
It is wild how your morning can get off, whether not sleeping good or getting up late, and that can throw the first half of your day in disarray. It’s pretty cool though, because we have the gym, and I can be having a truly crappy day, but when I enter the gym that’s one of my happy places and all is right with the day again. It actually helps me not to take work home with me as well.

Funny thing is even though I think my knee issue is hamstring related, deadlifts haven't been an issue for it. Good squat form can be challenging, taking a knee/lunging, but deads have been OK. hardest part of deadlifts for me in 2026 have been more about fatigue on the cut, low cals, and a lot more overall output has left me gassed for the big pulls but when I can figure out life and a way to make them a bigger part of it without going back into a 20lb weight gain they are still one of my favorite lifts.

 

[Dustin07]

RDL
2 x 10 x 135

Deads
3 x 185, 235
1 x 275, 315, 355, 395
5 x 315

RDL
10 x 225

BB rows
2 x 20 x 135

Back ext
15 x +25lbs, +45lbs

Lat pullovers - cable
2 x 20

Lat pulldowns
2 x 10 x 160
+ 20 x 115 dropset

Seated cable rows
10 x 100, 145



Notes
Tried warming up with some empty cleans, rows and those RDLs to see if I could loosen up enough to take deads for a ride today but man I am gassed.

 

[gphagan1]

RDL
2 x 10 x 135

Deads
3 x 185, 235
1 x 275, 315, 355, 395
5 x 315

RDL
10 x 225

BB rows
2 x 20 x 135

Back ext
15 x +25lbs, +45lbs

Lat pullovers - cable
2 x 20

Lat pulldowns
2 x 10 x 160
+ 20 x 115 dropset

Seated cable rows
10 x 100, 145



Notes
Tried warming up with some empty cleans, rows and those RDLs to see if I could loosen up enough to take deads for a ride today but man I am gassed.

Hey, 395 with an injured knee is still good.

 

[Dustin07]

Hey, 395 with an injured knee is still good.

man you know whats funny is 395 moved OK so I put 415 on the bar. changed my music and did some stretching and moving around/breathing to try to increase energy in myself. I felt like a 415-435 attempt should be in the bag and during the stretching I felt the twinge in the knee. I tried to ignore it cause going through the motions was painless, got lined up on the bar, started to make the pull then opted to back off and drop to my 315 set, which was also surprisingly heavy.

I'm at a stage in the cut where its easy to get demoralized. I'm not longer specializing in bench and deads like I was when I set all my PR's, and my output is high while my calories are low. My lifting belt is getting loser, my fitted shirts are fitting better, my slacks fall off at the urinal if I don't hold them up but I am finally at a point after 2 months that I am feeling the impact on my strength.

it was a bit humbling and it was a moment of oh man... am I old and weak now? should I switch back to strength? should I be deadlifting more? I think this is near the point I get to every time I start to cut when my boy starts setting PRs and I'm going the other way and I sneak in extra calories on "certain" lifting days.

then I sneak in extra calories to recover from those certain days.

Then I'm just back to strength training and bulking

Its a mind game man. its hard to watch strength drop but I have to admit it feels good to be a little trimmer and lighter on my feet. I think what I'm doing is creating a slightly healthier (definitely vainer) version of myself but its hard to watch the numbers fall!

 

[gphagan1]

man you know whats funny is 395 moved OK so I put 415 on the bar. changed my music and did some stretching and moving around/breathing to try to increase energy in myself. I felt like a 415-435 attempt should be in the bag and during the stretching I felt the twinge in the knee. I tried to ignore it cause going through the motions was painless, got lined up on the bar, started to make the pull then opted to back off and drop to my 315 set, which was also surprisingly heavy.

I'm at a stage in the cut where its easy to get demoralized. I'm not longer specializing in bench and deads like I was when I set all my PR's, and my output is high while my calories are low. My lifting belt is getting loser, my fitted shirts are fitting better, my slacks fall off at the urinal if I don't hold them up but I am finally at a point after 2 months that I am feeling the impact on my strength.

it was a bit humbling and it was a moment of oh man... am I old and weak now? should I switch back to strength? should I be deadlifting more? I think this is near the point I get to every time I start to cut when my boy starts setting PRs and I'm going the other way and I sneak in extra calories on "certain" lifting days.

then I sneak in extra calories to recover from those certain days.

Then I'm just back to strength training and bulking

Its a mind game man. its hard to watch strength drop but I have to admit it feels good to be a little trimmer and lighter on my feet. I think what I'm doing is creating a slightly healthier (definitely vainer) version of myself but its hard to watch the numbers fall!

Yeah it’s definitely a trade off, and can mess with your mind if you let it. That’s why I really don’t test my strength too much on a cut because I know it will mess with me.

 

[Dustin07]

PM session
Bike - 20 min
Incline LISS - 22 min

Off to dinner with the wife! Tomorrow I'm planning a very chill day

 

[akboom87]

PM session
Bike - 20 min
Incline LISS - 22 min

Off to dinner with the wife! Tomorrow I'm planning a very chill day

Turnin and burnin! Have a great evening

 

[Dustin07]

It's funny how much pain and suffering is in our heads. I'm not saying every injury is fake but man.

I usually get off the bike and treadmill after 40+ min of work and find myself hobbling down the stairs to the locker room, maybe grabbing the rail.

Today I was like I'm sick of that ****. I need to stop early aging myself. Act like a puppy if you want to be one.

So I hopped and skipped my way on down the stairs like nothing hurt. By the time I got to the locker room to change I forgot everything hurt a couple minutes ago.

 

[Hyde]

You don’t need to gain 20lbs, just get out of a deficit when you’re ready to pursue strength as a priority. Getting leaner is not as hard on things as undereating (which you must to cut). As soon as it’s time to return to maintenance it will feel much better - don’t let it worry you now! Stay focused.

 

[Segansational]

I'm at a stage in the cut where its easy to get demoralized. I'm not longer specializing in bench and deads like I was when I set all my PR's, and my output is high while my calories are low. My lifting belt is getting loser, my fitted shirts are fitting better, my slacks fall off at the urinal if I don't hold them up but I am finally at a point after 2 months that I am feeling the impact on my strength.

Then I'm just back to strength training and bulking

Its a mind game man. its hard to watch strength drop but I have to admit it feels good to be a little trimmer and lighter on my feet. I think what I'm doing is creating a slightly healthier (definitely vainer) version of myself but its hard to watch the numbers fall!

Yeah man, cutting and getting leaner is definitely a mind f*ck. Getting vascular and seeing the physique change and shape really take form is super awesome and positive/motivating on some days, then the next you feel beaten down because you've had to drop working weights by 20-30#. I go back and forth all the time between highs and lows with it, but this time I'm trying to stay focused on the end goal.

You don’t need to gain 20lbs, just get out of a deficit when you’re ready to pursue strength as a priority. Getting leaner is not as hard on things as undereating (which you must to cut). As soon as it’s time to return to maintenance it will feel much better - don’t let it worry you now! Stay focused.

A little bump in cals on occasion or hitting maintenance for a little while at a new weight definitely does wonders for physical and mental fatigue!

 

[Dustin07]

Last night we saw Chris Kattan at the Tacoma Comedy club and laughed our butts off. As per usual, the host/opener was horrible

The next guy up was so funny when he finished and introduced Chris my older buddy reaches over to me and says "that guy was great, I thought he was the headliner!"

Chris spent a lot of the night talking about his SNL days and honestly I love it when the older guys come through Tacoma and do most their bit based on their previous accomplishments cause it feels more like a hilarious conversation among friends than a forced set.

Anyways... After that my wife and I split off to a place called the huckleberry club, this is nearly a cheat but if we are honest with ourselves, it's a pretty dang mild cheat to have a single cocktail and a huge potato. Their entire menu, the only thing they make, are football sized potatoes in different forms and it's a fun date night.

We got home late and for the sake of the dogs (lol) turned on a night at the Roxbury which I lasted about ten minutes through before waking up to some Adam Sandler movie and my wife telling me it's after midnight

So long story short, slept in, had a fun meal and date night, gonna enjoy today. Maybe get some lumber for a deck project and just chill mostly.

 

[Dustin07]

Food

thehuckleberryclub.com

 

[Dustin07]

Arms + supplemental chest

Incline
20 x bar
10 x 95, 115, 135
5 x 165
3 x 185, 195
1 x 210, 220, 225, 230 (PR), 235 (PR)
10 x 185 (reps PR), 165

Seated DB curls
10 x 30, 35, 40

Ez bar curls
4 x 10 x 70

SS with cable tri push downs - rope
5 x 12-20

H/S dips
3 x 15 x +180

SS with h/s preacher curl machine
3 x 15 x various weights

Concentration curls
2 x 12

Cable OH ext
3 sets to roughly failure


Notes
Just a little extra chest work to keep chesticles puffy, but was happy to snag a small PR. After a lifetime of hating incline I've really come full circle to fall in love with it

230 went so fast I turned up my Koe Wetzel and took 235 for a ride

As I sat there working on my breathing I could hear Elliott Hulse say people need to vibrate more, started giving it a good shake down and any morning fatigue disappeared just long enough to not die

We did have Thai takeout last night and popcorn to watch the new Bradly Cooper movie so my sodium weight is up to 194 but feeling jacked.

Was hitting volume sets on the rope pushdowns and Daryl, this older dude that reminds me of a jacked Morgan Freeman comes over in his Morgan Freeman voice and goes "really? Really? I don't think so" pulls the pin on my like 110lb push downs and drops it to 180lbs.

I was like dude I was saving gas in the tank to impress you later.

So I dropped sets from 20 reps to 12-15 at 160+ lol.

 

[gphagan1]

Congrats on the Incline Bench PR. That was a good workout, a lot of volume. I bet you had a good arm pump after that.

 

[akboom87]

Arms + supplemental chest

Incline
20 x bar
10 x 95, 115, 135
5 x 165
3 x 185, 195
1 x 210, 220, 225, 230 (PR), 235 (PR)
10 x 185 (reps PR), 165

Seated DB curls
10 x 30, 35, 40

Ez bar curls
4 x 10 x 70

SS with cable tri push downs - rope
5 x 12-20

H/S dips
3 x 15 x +180

SS with h/s preacher curl machine
3 x 15 x various weights

Concentration curls
2 x 12

Cable OH ext
3 sets to roughly failure


Notes
Just a little extra chest work to keep chesticles puffy, but was happy to snag a small PR. After a lifetime of hating incline I've really come full circle to fall in love with it

230 went so fast I turned up my Koe Wetzel and took 235 for a ride

As I sat there working on my breathing I could hear Elliott Hulse say people need to vibrate more, started giving it a good shake down and any morning fatigue disappeared just long enough to not die

We did have Thai takeout last night and popcorn to watch the new Bradly Cooper movie so my sodium weight is up to 194 but feeling jacked.

Was hitting volume sets on the rope pushdowns and Daryl, this older dude that reminds me of a jacked Morgan Freeman comes over in his Morgan Freeman voice and goes "really? Really? I don't think so" pulls the pin on my like 110lb push downs and drops it to 180lbs.

I was like dude I was saving gas in the tank to impress you later.

So I dropped sets from 20 reps to 12-15 at 160+ lol. View attachment 259167

Awesome PR and session!

Koe is awesome seen him in concert last year and this year going to red rocks to see him.

Check out his song lonesome dove. It is a release but will not make an album he said. Really different but I really enjoy it